Female Egyptian TV Presenter Dons Veil for First Time

Fatma Nabil wore a Muslim headscarf on state television after ban was lifted

by Lesley Kennedy • MORE.com Reporter

For the first time ever, a female Egyptian TV presenter appeared on air wearing a veil, the Associated Press reports.

Fatma Nabil wore a headscarf, a Muslim tradition adopted by most women in Egypt, on state television, according to the news service. A longtime ban prohibiting news presenters from covering their hair was lifted in the wake of Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow last year.

“Now the standards have nothing to do with the veil, which is a personal choice, but are all about professional skills and intellect,” Nabil tells AP.